The fall 2018 session of Bodywise is for ages 10-14, all genders (Spring 2019 will be for ages 13-18). The instructor, Rae Goodman-Lucker, is an experienced, credentialed, National Board Certified science teacher and health educator as well as a proud queer, gender-nonconforming parent. Bodywise can serve as a standalone health ed course or can supplement health/sex ed courses from other sources, adding an LGBTQ perspective and information that is often lacking in mainstream health education. Bodywise includes an initial six-session class as well as monthly follow-ups so that students have an ongoing place to get answers to questions that arise.

Class Format

Bodywise Health Education consists of a Core learning experience and continued Queries.

The Core learning experience consists of 6 two-hour-long class sessions, spread over several weeks. In this portion of the class, we cover a wide range of topics related to bodies, sex, health, and relationships. The Core includes direct instruction, guided activities, guest speakers, activities, films, discussion, games, review, and questions.

The Queries portion of the class consists of 4 follow-up meetings, spread over five months following the class. Each Queries session is 2 hours long, and it focuses primarily on the students’ questions. This is a chance to students to ask questions that may have come up since the initial Core session, to review Core material to make sure they understand and remember it, to dive deeper into topics that interest them, to get peer input and perspectives, and to hear what their peers are thinking about. Depending on the nature of the question, it may be answered with direct instruction, guided research, referral to experts, peer discussion, or other modalities as needed. For each Queries session, there will also be a prepared learning activity, in the unlikely event that there aren’t enough questions to fill the time.

A new Queries session will begin roughly every 6 months. One Queries session is included in the initial class registration. Students may enroll in subsequent Queries sessions for their age group until they age out of the group. Enrolling in subsequent Queries sessions allows students to have ongoing access to reliable, scientifically sound, nonjudgemental, LGBTQ inclusive health/sex/relationship information. It also provides ongoing connection with a supportive peer community.

Throughout both the Core and Queries segments of the class, the students be able to email the instructor (Rae Goodman-Lucker) with any questions that come up between class sessions. Depending on the nature of the question, Rae will answer it directly, provide resources and referrals, and/or include the topic in the next Queries session. (And, during this six-month period, parents/guardians may also contact the instructor with health/sex/relationship and related parenting questions.)

Topics

The class will cover a range of health, body, sex, and relationship topics. Topics will include:

How to access reliable information – internet searches, libraries, and other resources

Evaluating a source for accuracy, bias, and missing information

Laws and policies related to sexual health for youth and teens, including access to services

Local resources for sexual, relationship, and other health concerns – including free and/or anonymous services

Biology of gender and sex

Gender, identity, and orientation

Transgender, gender-nonconforming, nonbinary and other genders

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, pansexual, queer, and other orientations

Gender, sexism, and gendered expectations of bodies, sex, and relationships

Homophobia and transphobia

How to resist and stand up to sexism, homophobia, and transphobia, including how to be an ally

Basic anatomy and physiology, including hormones, brains, and growth

Reproductive anatomy and physiology, including medical and slang terminology

Puberty

Consent

Sexuality – sexual feelings, crushes, romantic and sexual attraction

Sexuality – solo and partnered sexual activities

How to handle violations of consent, including harassment, assault, and rape

Menstrual cycles

Hormones, including both endogenous (produced by the body) and external/medication

Substances – basics of mind-altering substances, including where to find reliable information about the ever-changing range of options and their effects, side-effects, and risks

Risk-reduction in substance use

Recognizing and dealing with substance abuse

Basics of mental health

How to recognize and deal with mental health issues

How to provide useful information to peers

Ages

Classes are split into two age ranges, 10-14 (Level 1) and 13-18 (Level 2). This allows the class to focus on age-appropriate and developmentally appropriate topics, allows younger students room to ask basic questions, and allows older students to delve into more complex topics. If your child is outside the designated age range but would like to enroll, please contact me.

Class sizes

The class needs a minimum of 6 students, and the maximum enrollment is 16. If the minimum is not reached, the class will be cancelled – so, please tell your friends!